View source for Adrian Dix

{{Short description|Canadian politician (born 1964)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2013}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix    = [[The Honourable]]
| name                = Adrian Dix
| honorific_suffix    = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|MLABC|size=100%}}
| image               = Adrian Dix 2016.jpg
| caption             = Dix in 2016
| office              = Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions of [[British Columbia]]
| term_start          = November 18, 2024
| term_end            = 
| premier             = [[David Eby]]
| predecessor         = [[Josie Osborne]] (Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation)
| successor           = 
| office1             = Minister of Health of [[British Columbia]]
| term_start1         = July 18, 2017
| term_end1           = November 18, 2024
| premier1            = {{plainlist|
* [[John Horgan]]
* [[David Eby]]
}}
| predecessor1        = [[Mary Polak]]
| successor1          = [[Josie Osborne]]
| office2             = Minister responsible for Francophone Affairs of [[British Columbia]]
| term_start2         = September 27, 2017
| term_end2           = 
| successor2          = 
| premier2            = {{plainlist|
* [[John Horgan]]
* [[David Eby]]
}}
| office3             = Member of the<br />[[British Columbia Legislative Assembly]]<br />for [[Vancouver-Kingsway (provincial electoral district)|Vancouver-Renfrew]]<br /><small>Vancouver-Kingsway (2005–2024)</small>
| term_start3         = May 17, 2005
| term_end3           = 
| predecessor3        = [[Rob Nijjar]]
| successor3          = 
| office4             = [[Leader of the Opposition (British Columbia)|Leader of the Opposition in British Columbia]]
| term_start4         = April 17, 2011
| term_end4           = May 4, 2014
| predecessor4        = [[Dawn Black]]
| successor4          = John Horgan
| office5             = Leader of the<br />[[British Columbia New Democratic Party]]
| term_start5         = April 17, 2011
| term_end5           = May 4, 2014
| predecessor5        = [[Dawn Black]]
| successor5          = John Horgan
| birth_name          = 
| birth_date          = {{Birth date and age|1964|04|20}}
| birth_place         = [[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]], Canada
| party               = [[British Columbia New Democratic Party|BC NDP]]
| occupation          = Politician
| spouse              = [[Renée Saklikar]]
| residence           = [[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]], Canada
| alma_mater          = [[University of British Columbia]]
}}

'''Adrian Dix''' {{post-nominals|country=CAN|MLABC}} (born April 20, 1964)<ref>{{cite news |last=Lee |first=Jeff |date=April 10, 2013 |title=Election battle rages on Wikipedia |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-vancouver-sun-election-battle-rages/139578627/}} and {{cite news |title=Election battle boils over on Wikipedia |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-vancouver-sun-election-battle-boils/139578743/ |work=[[Vancouver Sun]] |location=Vancouver, British Columbia |pages=A1-A9 |access-date=January 25, 2024 |via=newspapers.com |quote=His birthday is April 20, 1964, not April 26}}</ref> is a Canadian politician who is the current [[Member of the Legislative Assembly]] (MLA) for [[Vancouver-Kingsway (provincial electoral district)|Vancouver-Kingsway]] in [[British Columbia]]. A member of the [[British Columbia New Democratic Party]] (BC NDP), he was the party's leader and [[Leader of the Opposition (British Columbia)|Leader of the Opposition]] in [[British Columbia]] from 2011 to 2014, resigning after losing the [[2013 British Columbia general election|2013 provincial election]] in an [[Upset (competition)|upset]]. Since 2024, he is the Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions, and has been Minister responsible for Francophone Affairs since 2017. Previously, he was [[Ministry of Health (British Columbia)|Minister of Health]] under premiers [[John Horgan]] and [[David Eby]].

==Personal life==
Adrian Dix was born in Vancouver, to parents Ken and Hilda, immigrants from Ireland and Britain, respectively. His parents ran the Dix Insurance Agency Ltd. on West 41st Avenue in Vancouver until 2011 when his father retired and sold the business.<ref name=ToddSun>{{cite news|last=Todd|first=Douglas|title=NDP Leader Adrian Dix unveiled|url=https://vancouversun.com/news/Leader+Adrian+unveiled/6172683/story.html|newspaper=Vancouver Sun|date=February 19, 2012|access-date=April 12, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024205554/http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Leader+Adrian+unveiled/6172683/story.html|archive-date=October 24, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> Growing up in Vancouver, Dix was raised as an [[Anglican]] and attended both [[St. George's School (Vancouver)|St. George's School]] and [[Point Grey Secondary School|Point Grey Secondary]]. He then went on to study history and political science at the [[University of British Columbia]]. Dix has two siblings and currently lives in Vancouver with his wife [[Renée Saklikar]], a poet and writer.<ref>{{cite news|last=Smith|first=Charlie|title=Poet Renée Sarojini Saklikar remembers the murdered children of Air India Flight 182|url=https://www.straight.com/news/poet-renee-sarojini-saklikar-remembers-murdered-children-air-india-flight-182|access-date=April 12, 2013|newspaper=The Georgia Straight|date=October 17, 2012}}</ref> Dix was diagnosed with Type-1 diabetes in his 20s.<ref name=ToddSun /> Fluently bilingual, Dix lived in France as a young man.

==Political career==
===Early career===
Dix's first job in politics was as an aide to federal NDP MP [[Ian Waddell]] in Ottawa. In 1991, he returned to BC to become an assistant to [[Glen Clark]] in the provincial ministry of finance.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-11-02 |title=The Fall and Rise of Adrian Dix |url=https://www.vanmag.com/city/people/the-fall-and-rise-of-adrian-dix/ |access-date=2023-09-11 |website=Vancouver Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>

After Clark became [[Premier of British Columbia]] in 1996, Dix was named his [[Chief of Staff|chief of staff]]. Dix was dismissed in 1999 for back-dating a memo to protect Clark from conflict-of-interest charges.<ref>{{Cite web|last=MacLeod|first=Andrew|date=2011-04-20|title='I Own Memo Mistake' Says Dix, Pointing to His Record Since|url=http://thetyee.ca/News/2011/04/20/MemoMistake/|access-date=2021-01-26|website=The Tyee|language=English}}</ref> Dix has said of this incident, "It was wrong, it was wrong. I'm out there and I've admitted it and people will judge. But I'm not trying to hide my mistake."<ref name="Vanmag">{{cite news|last=Mason|first=Gary|title=The Fall and Rise of Adrian Dix|url=http://vanmag.com/uncategorized/the-fall-and-rise-of-adrian-dix/|access-date=June 1, 2018|newspaper=Vancouver Magazine|date=November 1, 2012}}</ref> This memo would later become a focus of a number of opposition [[British Columbia Liberal Party|BC Liberal Party]] ads in the [[2013 British Columbia general election|2013 provincial election]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Editorial: Dix's political past is completely fair game|url=https://theprovince.com/opinion/editorial-dixs-political-past-is-completely-fair-game|access-date=December 25, 2022|newspaper=The Province|date=March 13, 2012}}</ref>

Subsequently, he went on to work as the executive director of [[Canadian Parents for French]] in their B.C./Yukon branch. The ''[[Vancouver Sun]]'' summarized his work in this position as "successfully encouraging more school boards to offer French immersion programs."<ref name=ToddSun />

From 2001 to 2005 Dix was a political commentator in various media, writing a column for the ''[[Victoria Times-Colonist]]'' and ''[[The Source (newspaper)|The Source]]'', a prominent intercultural newspaper in Vancouver. He was also a contributor to ''[[The Tyee]]''<ref>[https://thetyee.ca/Bios/Adrian_Dix/ Bio at ''The Tyee'']</ref> and the [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]].<ref>[https://www.bcndp.ca/adrian/bio Bio, Adrian Dix, NDP website] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130131040729/http://www.bcndp.ca/adrian/bio |date=January 31, 2013 }}</ref>

===Entry into elective politics===
In 2005, Dix was elected as the MLA for [[Vancouver-Kingsway (provincial electoral district)|Vancouver-Kingsway]]. He first served as the opposition critic for Children and Families and then served as the Health critic.<ref name=TyeeMacLeod>{{cite news|last=MacLeod|first=Andrew|title='I Own Memo Mistake' Says Dix, Pointing to His Record Since|url=https://thetyee.ca/News/2011/04/20/MemoMistake/|access-date=April 12, 2013|newspaper=The Tyee|date=April 20, 2011}}</ref>  As MLA, he cites among his achievements "bringing insulin pumps to children with Type 1 diabetes and his work on a successful campaign to stop three schools from being closed in Vancouver-Kingsway."<ref>{{cite news|last=Smith|first=Charlie|title=NDP's Adrian Dix says he's a candidate of substance, whereas Christy Clark only offers style|url=https://www.straight.com/article-378558/vancouver/ndps-adrian-dix-says-hes-candidate-substance-whereas-christy-clark-only-offers-style|access-date=May 27, 2015|newspaper=The Georgia Straight|date=March 4, 2011}}</ref>

===Leader of the NDP===
{{main|2011 British Columbia New Democratic Party leadership election}}
After NDP leader [[Carole James]] announced her resignation, Dix was one of several candidates to run for the leadership. The last candidate to publicly launch his leadership bid, Dix campaigned on a platform of eliminating the HST, rolling back reductions in the corporate tax rate, supporting the redirection of [[carbon tax]] revenue to pay for public transit and infrastructure that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, supporting an increase in the minimum wage rate to $10 per hour, creating a provincial child care system, restoring grants to the post-secondary students, reducing interest on student loans, and restoring the corporation capital tax on financial institutions.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/bc-politics/bc-ndps-dix-tax-proposal-takes-a-big-bite-out-of-big-business/article1892212/ |title=B.C. NDP's Dix tax proposal takes a big bite out of big business |newspaper=Globe and Mail |first=Justine |last=Hunter |date=February 2, 2011 |access-date= February 20, 2011 |location=Toronto}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.comoxvalleyrecord.com/news/former-comox-valley-mla-gillespie-backing-dix-leadership-bid/ |title=Former Comox Valley MLA Gillespie backing Dix' leadership bid |newspaper=Comox Valley Record |location=Courtenay |date=March 15, 2011 |access-date=December 25, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/bc-politics/bc-ndp-candidate-calls-for-tax-on-banks/article1916338/ |title=B.C. NDP candidate calls for tax on banks |newspaper=Globe and Mail |first=Ian |last=Bailey |date=February 22, 2011 |access-date= March 22, 2011 |location=Toronto}}</ref>

His candidacy was endorsed by former interim BC NDP leader [[Joy MacPhail]], amongst others.<ref>{{cite news|last=Thomson |first=Stephen |title=Joy MacPhail backs Adrian Dix for B.C. NDP leadership |url=https://www.straight.com/joy-macphail-backs-adrian-dix-bc-ndp-leadership |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130630102804/http://www.straight.com/joy-macphail-backs-adrian-dix-bc-ndp-leadership |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 30, 2013 |access-date=April 12, 2013 |newspaper=The Georgia Straight |date=January 27, 2011 }}</ref>

Dix led throughout the voting, narrowly defeating rival [[Mike Farnworth]] on the third and final ballot with 51.8% of the vote.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/adrian-dix-wins-b-c-ndp-leadership-1.1050132 | publisher=CBC News | title=Adrian Dix wins B.C. NDP leadership | date=April 17, 2011 |access-date=June 1, 2018}}</ref>

Going into the [[2013 British Columbia general election|2013 election]], nearly all polls showed the NDP well ahead of the BC Liberals, with at least one showing the NDP ahead by as much as 20 points. Two months prior to the election, ''[[The Province]]'' newspaper's front page featured a column by pundit Michael Smyth with the banner headline: "If This Man Kicked A Dog He Would Still Win The Election."<ref>{{cite news|last=Logan|first=Nick|title='Everyone was wrong': Pollster predictions way off mark in B.C. election|url=http://globalnews.ca/news/565957/everyone-was-wrong-pollster-predictions-way-off-mark-in-b-c-election/|access-date=22 May 2014|newspaper=Global News|date=15 May 2013}}</ref> However, in a result that shocked the party and political pundits, the BC Liberals won a fourth majority government.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ferry|first=Jon|title=Jobs, tax fears win out as Liberal victory proves pundits wrong|url=https://theprovince.com/news/Ferry+Jobs+fears+Liberal+victory+proves+pundits+wrong/8378745/story.html|newspaper=The Province|access-date=May 15, 2013|date=May 15, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Fowlie|first=Jonathan|title=Liberals pull off stunning B.C. win, form majority government|url=https://vancouversun.com/news/bc%20election/liberals-pull-off-stunning-bc-win-form-majority-government|newspaper=Vancouver Sun|access-date=December 25, 2022|date=May 15, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Hébert|first=Chantal|title=NDP across Canada must be mourning stunning B.C. election loss|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/05/15/ndp_across_canada_must_be_mourning_stunning_bc_election_loss_hbert.html|work=The Star|access-date=May 15, 2013|date=May 15, 2013}}</ref> The BC NDP won 34 seats, one fewer than in 2009.

Dix announced on September 18, 2013 that he would resign as party leader once a new leader ([[John Horgan]]) would be chosen in 2014. He also announced his intention to run for re-election as an MLA in the next provincial election.<ref name="resign">{{cite news |date=September 18, 2013 |title=Adrian Dix resigns as B.C. NDP Leader |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/adrian-dix-expected-to-clarify-political-future-in-afternoon-announcement/article14396110/ |access-date=September 18, 2013 |newspaper=Globe and Mail}}</ref>

===Cabinet minister===

After the NDP formed government as a result of the [[2017 British Columbia general election|2017 election]], Dix was appointed [[Minister of Health (British Columbia)|Minister of Health]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=BC NDP takes power: The big issues and the people John Horgan has appointed to handle them|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/bcs-new-ndp-government-takespower-as-horgan-appointscabinet/article35724661/|access-date=2021-01-09}}</ref> After Horgan stepped down and was succeeded as premier by [[David Eby]] in 2022, Dix retained the portfolio in the new [[Eby ministry]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=2022-12-07 |title=B.C. Premier David Eby unveils new cabinet of 23 ministers |work=[[CTV News]] |url=https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/b-c-premier-david-eby-to-reveal-new-cabinet-with-health-safety-housing-priorities-1.6184506 |access-date=2022-12-07}}</ref>

On August 30, 2021, Dix announced an initiative to bring 4000 housekeepers and food service workers in provincial hospitals back under government employment by March 2022. This was an effort to reverse the fallout of the [[British Columbia Liberal Party]] administration passing the ''Health and Social Services Delivery Improvement Act'' in January 2002. The act facilitated the contracting of hospital support jobs to private employers, leading to thousands of hospital support workers to be laid off from the public sector and rehired under private contractors for reduced wages and benefits.<ref name="CTV">{{cite web | title=B.C. hiring back hospital cleaners, food services workers almost 2 decades after privatization push | website=CTV News | date=2021-08-30 | url=https://bc.ctvnews.ca/b-c-hiring-back-hospital-cleaners-food-services-workers-almost-2-decades-after-privatization-push-1.5567138 | access-date=2021-08-31}}</ref> One employee reported an hourly wage decline from $18.10 with benefits and a pension while under direct provincial employment to $10.15 with neither benefits nor pensions under the private sector.<ref name="Alam 2021">{{cite web | last=Alam | first=Hina | title=B.C. to phase out private housekeeping, food service contracts in acute care | website=The Toronto Star | date=2021-08-30 | url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2021/08/30/bc-to-phase-out-private-housekeeping-food-service-contracts-in-acute-care.html | access-date=2021-08-31}}</ref> The [[Hospital Employees' Union]] had also reported the halving of wages upon being contracted by the private sector. Additionally, Premier [[John Horgan]] noted that these wage declines disproportionately affected women.<ref name="CBC 2021">{{cite web | title=B.C. to phase out private housekeeping, food service contracts in acute care – CBC News | website=CBC News| date=2021-08-30 | url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-hospital-food-in-house-1.6158982 | access-date=2021-08-31}}</ref>

Having served as health minister since 2017, Dix oversaw B.C.'s response to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] but also faced sustained criticism for difficulties facing the provincial healthcare system. Following the [[2024 British Columbia general election|2024 election]], in which healthcare was a major issue, Dix was shuffled out of the health file by Premier Eby and was named Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions.

==Election results==
{{2024 British Columbia general election/Vancouver-Renfrew}}
{{British Columbia provincial election, 2020/Vancouver-Kingsway}}
{{British Columbia provincial election, 2017/Vancouver-Kingsway}}
{{British Columbia provincial election, 2013/Vancouver-Kingsway}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Candidate
! colspan="2" | First ballot
! colspan="2" | Second ballot
! colspan="3" | Third ballot
|-
! Votes !! Percent !! Votes !! Percent !! Votes !! Percent
|-
| Adrian Dix || 7,638 || 38.2% || 7,748 || 39.3% || '''9,772''' || '''51.8%'''
|-
| [[Mike Farnworth]] || 6,979 || 34.9% || 6,951 || 35.2% || 9,095 || 48.2%
|-
| [[John Horgan]] || 4,844 || 24.2% || 5,034 || 25.5% || ||
|-
| [[Dana Larsen]] || 531 || 2.7% || || || ||
|}{{British Columbia provincial election, 2009/Vancouver-Kingsway}}
{{British Columbia provincial election, 2005/Vancouver-Kingsway}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://www.leg.bc.ca/mla/38thParl/dix.htm Profile from the B.C. Legislature]

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{{Canadian federal ministry navigational box header |ministry=John_Horgan}}
{{ministry box cabinet posts
| post1preceded = [[Mary Polak]]
| post1         = Minister of Health
| post1years    = July 18, 2017–
| post1note     = 
| post1followed = Incumbent
}}
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{{British Columbia MLAs}}
{{BC NDP Leaders}}
{{Horgan ministry}}
{{Eby ministry}}
{{British Columbia opposition leaders}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Dix, Adrian}}
[[Category:1964 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:British Columbia New Democratic Party MLAs]]
[[Category:Canadian people of British descent]]
[[Category:Canadian people of Irish descent]]
[[Category:Ministers of health of British Columbia]]
[[Category:Leaders of the British Columbia CCF/NDP]]
[[Category:Leaders of the opposition (British Columbia)]]
[[Category:Members of the Executive Council of British Columbia]]
[[Category:People with type 1 diabetes]]
[[Category:Politicians from Vancouver]]
[[Category:University of British Columbia Faculty of Arts alumni]]
[[Category:St. George's School (Vancouver) alumni]]
[[Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia]]